Education sits at the heart of China’s long-term development goals. The newly concluded Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee (October 20-23) approved the “Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030),” which call for coordinated efforts in building China into a leading nation in education, science and technology, and talent cultivation. The document sets out new priorities aimed at delivering high-quality education that meets public expectations.

In an interview with Xinhua, Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng reflected on the achievements of the past five years and explained how China plans to advance its educational reforms in the next planning cycle.

Q1. How do you assess China’s progress in education over the past five years? What foundation has this laid for the future?

Huai: China has made historic advances in education during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. Under the strong leadership of the central government, we have built the world’s largest educational system and significantly improved its overall quality. Several aspects stand out:

First, we reinforced programs that combine academic learning with civic and personal development. Schools across the country now integrate both academic content and civic education; classroom learning and extracurricular practice reinforce one another; and science and humanities education advance in parallel. We have built a comprehensive education model that engages all staff and covers all stages of learning. Prioritizing student health, we now ensure that primary and secondary students enjoy two hours of daily physical activity, and many schools have adopted 15-minute active recess. The goal is simple: students who are healthier, more engaged, and more motivated.

Second, people’s sense of educational opportunity has continued to grow. Basic compulsory education is now balanced across 2,895 counties, and 246 counties have reached the national standard for high-quality and equitable schooling. This fall, the MOE introduced a one-year fee waiver for pre-school childcare, benefiting more than 12 million children. We are also improving high schools in counties and rural areas and expanding support for students with special needs, and all students from families with financial difficulties now receive full assistance.

Third, education is playing a more decisive role in supporting China’s innovation agenda. Higher education produced 55 million graduates over the past five years, while vocational colleges provided more than 70% of newly added skilled workers for modern industries. We have adjusted academic programs in line with strategic national needs. Over 20% of all programs have been restructured in the past two years alone.

Fourth, the teaching profession continues to improve. We promote the professional ethos of educators, strengthen teacher training and ethics, and improve compensation and benefits. Teacher exchange and support programs have significantly helped raise the quality of education in central and western China.

Fifth, China’s international engagement in education is widening. UNESCO’s International Institute for STEM Education was formally established in Shanghai. We are deepening cooperation in vocational education, expanding overseas campuses of Chinese universities, and contributing more actively to global education governance. Platforms such as the World Digital Education Conference now engage participants from 220 countries and regions through the National Smart Education Platform.

Q2. The Recommendations adopted by the Plenary Session outline the strategic direction for education during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. How will the MOE put these new priorities into practice?

Huai: The new directives are comprehensive and forward-looking. They highlight the importance that China’s leadership places on building a strong educational system and underscore education’s political, social, and strategic significance. They also provide a guiding framework for educational reforms over the next five years. We understand our responsibilities in three major ways:

First, education, science and technology, and human resources are central to high-quality development. The coming five years will be critical for laying the foundation for China’s modernization. We need to move beyond looking at education as a self-contained sector and align it more closely with China’s broader national strategies. Our task is to ensure that education fully supports economic and social transformation.

Second, building a strong educational system ultimately means providing high-quality, equitable education that meets the needs and expectations of the public. Demographic changes and evolving societal needs present new challenges. To respond, we will establish a nationwide monitoring system for population changes across all age groups, and plan well in advance for reforms across basic, vocational, and higher education. This includes better resource allocation, policy planning, and expanded access to high-quality schooling.

Third, education must remain true to its fundamental mission: to cultivate talent for the nation. The essential questions whom we educate, how we educate, and for what purpose remain central. We will uphold character development as the foundation of schooling and nurture new generations who are committed to the country and prepared to contribute to society.

Q3. What are the MOE’s priorities for implementing the Plenary Session decisions and advancing reforms under the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030)?

Huai: The 15th Five-Year Plan period will be pivotal for building a stronger educational system in China. Our goal is to align the Plenary Session decisions with the outcomes of the National Education Conference and ensure consistency with the 2024–2035 Master Plan on Building China into a Leading Country in Education and its three-year action plan. Guided by the core mission of developing well-rounded learners, we aim to accelerate the creation of a high-quality educational system, strengthen capacity for scientific and technological innovation, and advance major initiatives in talent development and institutional reform. Our priorities include:

First, placing student development at the center of all reforms.

We will strengthen curriculum reforms that integrate academic learning, civic education, and personal development across all school levels. A new program on civic education will be rolled out nationwide, along with pilot reforms to better align civic education in primary, secondary, and higher education. We will also advance initiatives to build an autonomous knowledge system in philosophy and the social sciences. At the same time, we will continue promoting student well-being by ensuring that primary and secondary students have two hours of daily physical activity, building on pilot programs such as 15-minute active recess, and improving both the physical and psychological environment of schools.

Second, expanding China’s capacity to cultivate top scientific and innovative talent.

We will strengthen mechanisms that link talent development with scientific research, industrial needs, and national strategies. Higher education institutions will be encouraged to refine their academic structures and adopt differentiated development paths. Program adjustments will continue, especially in strategic fields such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors, where new models for nurturing top innovators will be tested.

In vocational education, we will further integrate academic and technical training, deepen industry–education cooperation, and expand high-level programs that prepare skilled workers for local and national development.

Third, deepening the integration of scientific research and industrial innovation.

We will launch new initiatives in basic and interdisciplinary research, including national centers dedicated to cross-disciplinary work. Major research tasks will help drive talent development, academic collaboration, and frontier breakthroughs. We will expand support for young researchers in universities, helping them pursue original and disruptive innovation. Through technology-transfer platforms and advanced research institutes, we hope to bring more research discoveries into practical application and economic impact.

Fourth, improving the quality and accessibility of public education services.

China’s shifting demographics call for a more flexible and responsive planning system. We will adjust the distribution of education resources in line with changes in school-age population, and expand capacity in cities experiencing net in-migration of young families. Reforms will continue across all levels of education: improving quality and equity in basic education; expanding access to affordable, high-quality pre-school programs; enhancing services for students with special needs; gradually widening the scope of free education, and strengthening high schools in county-level areas.

In higher education, we will broaden the supply of high-quality undergraduate programs and strengthen the teaching profession by promoting professional standards and educator development. Digital transformation will also be a major focus. We will expand shared digital education resources, enhance national platforms, and improve public services for lifelong learning.

Fifth, advancing comprehensive reform and expanding international cooperation.

We will continue reforming evaluation and admissions systems, reducing reliance on narrow academic indicators and encouraging degree assessments based on practical achievements. Reforms in the national college entrance exam will move toward a more holistic evaluation system that reflects students’ full development in academics, sports, arts, and practical skills.

Admissions reforms at the lower-secondary level will explore multiple pathways such as balanced allocation and registration-based entry. We will launch a new round of initiatives to build world-class universities and disciplines, based on updated standards.

Internationally, we aim to strengthen China’s ability to train and attract global talent, deepen academic exchange, and expand research collaboration. China will continue contributing to global education governance and develop platforms such as the World Digital Education Conference and the World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference.